Importance of being Carmichael Road

It’s where the official residences of the RBI Governor and the city’s municipal commissioner are located, where consulates of Japan, China and Belgium are. It’s also where something till now considered impossible in Mumbai took place: a citizen’s committee managed to prevent a Rs 1,500-crore project from moving beyond the drawing board.

A partnership with S D Corporation (SDC), a Shapoorji Pallonji firm, and builder Dilip Thakkar started construction last year after rehabilitating 650 of 2,500 slum dwellers under the Slum Rehabilitation Scheme (SRS). Permission for the towers, with residential apartments of 1,500 sq ft to 3,000 sq ft and nine car park floors, was given in lieu of the 2.5 Floor Space Index incentive for developers under the scheme. Excavation of the eastern slopes of Cumballa Hill, at the foot of which Carmichael Road nestles, began in the summer of 2002.

By October, 1,000 residents of the neighbouring high-rises had banded together into the Carmichael Road Citizen’s Committee and filed a writ petition in Bombay HC.

Some of their grouses: the towers will block sunlight, the wind, a magnificent view. At least 1,500 new cars will squeeze into an already crammed road. Rajesh Jhaveri, CRCC chairperson, said, ‘‘Human lives are at stake here. Our buildings will topple during a quake. Even 25 cars get jammed here in three minutes, imagine 1,000 cars moving out morning and evening.’’ The HC ordered a report by geologists from IIT Kanpur, Mumbai and Delhi by January 31.

Fortunately for the committee, Deshmukh stepped in with a stay. Vimal Shah, project consultant to the developer, said they have requested the SRA to reconsider the decision.

‘‘Even the Bombay HC has not granted a stay. The development permission was granted to us after taking the infrastructure, stability of the hill into account. We are also awaiting the report from the committee appointed by the HC on the issue,’’ said Shah.

Deshmukh, on his part, has promised to personally undertake a detailed review of the ramifications of the proposed buildings.